Schoettler, Matthew

Hybrid Simulation of Full Scale Seismic Isolation Bearings Using the Caltrans Srmd Test Facility

Abstract eng:
The dynamic response of a seismically isolated structure depends on the combined characteristics of the ground motion, bearings, and superstructure. Therefore, dynamic full-scale system level tests of isolated structures under realistic earthquake loading are desirable towards full validation of this earthquake protection strategy. Moreover, bearing properties and their ultimate behavior have been shown to be highly dependent on scale size and rate-of-loading effects. Thus, reduced-scale models may not fully capture the realistic behavior of large bearings. Uncertainties in the test results complicate the validation of numerical models and the understanding of the behavior of an isolated system especially under extreme loading conditions. With a specific interest on the in-structure response of seismically isolated buildings, hybrid simulation is shown to be a viable approach to examine bearing behavior at full scale under realistic earthquake loading and quantify the sought-after in-structure response. Current laboratory facilities can test full-scale seismic isolation bearings under prescribed displacement and/or loading protocols. The adaptation of a full-scale bearing test machine for the implementation of fast hybrid simulation is presented. In this study the supported superstructure is expected to remain elastic, making this a well suited application for hybrid simulation with experiments capturing the nonlinear bearing behavior. These hybrid simulations employed high performance parallel computing tools to analyze large numerical structures with several thousands of degrees of freedom at near real-time rates. Challenges encountered in achieving reliable simulation results for these large scale dynamic tests are discussed. This research program demonstrates that hybrid simulation can be a viable and promising testing method to experimentally assess the behavior of large isolators at full-scale (including 3D dynamic loading) and capture interactions with the numerical models of the superstructure to evaluate system level and in-structure response.

Contributors:

Schellenberg, Andreas

Conference Title:

Proceedings of the 16th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering

Conference Title:

16th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering

Conference Venue:

Santiago (CL)

Conference Dates:

2017-01-09 / 2017-01-13

Rights:

Text je chráněný podle autorského zákona č. 121/2000 Sb.